BSN degree, not yet RN, can I apply as LPN?

I graduated BSN last year. I have RN license in my home country. I have no job experience. Right now, I'm in the USA so basically, my RN license from my home country is useless here. So I'm in the process of taking the NCLEX so I can become a US-RN soon. But right now, I need a job that is related to the nursing field so I can support myself with all the expenses.

Okay so at the moment, I have BSN degree and no job experience in the nursing field. What jobs can I apply for?

I've been searching for jobs but most of the open positions are
1) CNA/Nursing assistant (but with that, you need to have a certification!)
2) LPN/LVN (but with that, you also need to be a licensed practical/vocational nurse!)

Someone told me that even if I only have BSN degree and no US-RN license yet, I can already apply as LPN/LVN? Is this true? Is this possible? Sorry, I'm not familiar with LPN LVN ADN and all that stuff because we don't have that in my home country.

In a word...no. To practice as an LPN you need to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam.

Oct 6, '12

Agree with previous post. Even to practice as a CNA, you must be certified in your state after passing a written and a skills test. To work as a LPN you must pass a test -the NCLEX, but for LPN instead of RNs. Does not matter what type of college degree you have.

Oct 6, '12

As previous posters have said, you cannot practice as an LPN unless you have passed the LPN board exam.

However, in many places (hospitals, nursing homes etc.) you can work as a Nursing Assistant/Patient Care Tech/Patient Care Assistant (or whatever the facility chooses to call it) while pursuing your RN license. That's what I did once I graduated from nursing school, before I passed my boards and even after I was officially an RN but could not find an RN job -- I worked as an aide in a local hospital. Many places will hire nursing students who have completed some clinical hours or graduate nurses into nursing aide positions. Some facilities have a policy that a board-certified RN cannot work as an aide (even if s/he has not been hired by the facility as an RN), so make sure to ask about facility policy if you apply.

Be aware: aide pay is nothing close to nurses' pay, but it's still money coming in when you are trying to offset expenses.

Agree with previous post. Even to practice as a CNA, you must be certified in your state after passing a written and a skills test. To work as a LPN you must pass a test -the NCLEX, but for LPN instead of RNs. Does not matter what type of college degree you have.

Many facilities will take non-certified people to work in the CNA role. The vast majority of the aides at my last place of employment were not "certified". I worked as an aide while in college and never took any kind of test- written or skills. So, basically, this varies widely by state and facility.

OP, you cannot practice as an LPN without an LPN license, which means taking the NCLEX-PN.

Oct 9, '12

Thank you all for your insight and explanations! Maybe I'll just try to apply at my local hospitals as Nursing Assistant/Patient Care Assistant. If they want a certification for a nursing assistant job and I'm not qualified, then that's okay. There's no harm in trying. I just really want to work in the nursing field because I graduated a year ago and I don't want to "forget" the skills that I learned in school. Again, thank you all. I appreciate it.

Oct 9, '12

I am not certified as a CNA but work as an aide. My title is different but the job description is the same. I have a different certification that focuses more on critical situations. It is dependent on the state you are in and the facility. Good luck in your hunt and good luck with NCLEX